Search - Czlowiek Z Zelaza (Man of Iron) on DVD

A well made film

06/17/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this film captures the essence of the struggle of the polish people to achieve not only freedom but unity. The Focus is on a journalist who is assigned by the government to learn about a solidarity leader in the Gdansk shipyard strike around 1980. The journalist is expected to gather information about the leader from unsuspecting members or sympathizers of solidarity and then to create negative propaganda that would help the government destroy the strikers. He becomes torn between his conscience and his fatalistic desire to survive in the communist system. He has sympathy for the strikers, but he doesn't want to lose his job or go to jail. Should he refuse to help the communists or should he betray the strikers and, ultimately, Poland? It is not a easy choice for a man, who, like most of us, is less than perfect. The journalist's moral dilemna evolves as we find out more about the background and motivation of the solidarity leader and as great political and social events rock Poland. Wajda succeeds in showing us the intensity and drama of a great historical event while also showing us how individuals struggle to react and adapt to these events. This film is very well made, and, in my opinion, meaniful not only to poles, but to many of us in the West who take alot of what we have for granted."

A film about the Solidarity movement

Richard J. Brzostek | New England, USA | 09/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Man of Iron (Czlowiek z Zelaza) is the sequel to Andrzej Wajda's Man of Marble. Much like Man of Marble, which consists of an unraveling story that is unfolded by a series of flashbacks told by various characters, this film follows a similar format. This time, a reporter named Winkel has the task of unraveling the story at the urging of government agents who want him to find dirt on Maciej Tomczyk (Jerzy Radziwilowicz), a key player of Solidarity movement.

Although the characters of the film are fictitious, it is based on historical events. As Man of Marble recounts events of the 1950s to 1970s, Man of Iron covers the time of the 1970s to 1980s. Essentially, Man of Iron is the story of how the government attempts to suppress the steelworkers' strike. In the context of the story we learn about the Police State that existed in the early 1980s in Poland and the Solidarity movement that helped topple communism. I also have to add, Man of Iron stands alone well and it isn't necessary to watch Man of Marble to enjoy it.

For those who saw Man of Marble this film will be even more interesting as it resolves the questions left unanswered. Man of Iron has several of the same leading actors (such as Krystyna Janda). Furthermore, a young Boguslaw Linda, who later became one of the most popular and highest paid Polish actors in the 1990s-2000s, also plays a part in Man of Iron. This early character is quite a contrast to the "though guy" roles he is most known for and which made him famous. Also of interest is that Lech Walesa, who is practically synonymous with the Solidarity movement, appears as himself in this movie.

Andrzej Wajda is probably one of the most famous Polish directors of all time. His films are often based on great works of literature or portray important historical events. Unquestionably, Man of Iron fits in with the later showing us a key event of great importance to Polish history from the early 1980s. Wajda's films are all worth watching.
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